Feeding mechanism for cup-feed machines.



J. F1". MOFFATT.

FEDING MECHANISNI FOR CUP FEED MACHINES.

APPLICATIO FILED SEPT. 24. |914. 1 1,246,302. Patented Nov.l 13, 1917.

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ICL/4 l@ 4 ff) arto/mu i. R. IVIOFFATT.

FEEDING MEcHANlsM FOR cuPFEED MACHINES.

APPLlCATION FILED SEPT24, 1914. 1,246,302.

Patented Nov. 13, 1917.

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1. R. MOFFATT. y; FEEDING MECHANISM FOR CUP FEED MACH|NESi v APPLlcATmN HLED SEPT.24,1914.;} if' 1,246,302. Patented N0v.13,1917.

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JAMES R. MOFFATT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T UNION SPECIAL MACHINE COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS) FEE-DING MECHANISM FOR CUP-FEED MACHINES.`

masses.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. t3, mit.

Application filed September 24, 1914. Serial No. 863,330.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, .li-mins R. MOFFATT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook, State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Feeding Mechanism for Cup-Feed Machines, of which the fol lowing is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawingsl and to the figures of reference marked thereon.

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in cup feed machines and more particularlyr to the feeding mechanism therefor.

An object of the invention is to provide means for positively driving the outer feed cup from the mechanism which operates the inner feed cup, which driving mechanism is so constructed as to permit the outer feed cup to be freely moved toward and from the inner feed cup for the insertion and withdrawal of the material.

A further object of the invention is to provide a driving mechanism of the above character which includes a flexible shaft for connecting the feed cups, which flexible shaft is located so as not to interfere with the free travel of the fabricbetween the feed cups, and which also permits the feed cups to be moved relative to each other.

A further object of the invention is to provide a feeding mechanism of the above character with an inclosed iiexible casing for the flexible shaft.

These and other objects will in part be obvious and will in part be hereinafter more fully disclosed.

In the drawings:

`Figure l is a view in side elevation with certain parts broken away of a machine having mv improvements applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the forward portion of the same.

Fig. 3 is a front view of the upper portion of the machine.

Fig. is a sectional view through the supporting bracket for the .outer feed cup show ing the driving connection between the flexible shaft and the feed cup.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the supporting bracket also showing the intermediate gears.

Fig. 6 is a detail in side elevation showing a' slightly modified form of the supporting bracket for the outer feed cup. Fig. 7 is a view partly7 inplan and partly 1n section showing a different arrangement of the flexible shaft from that shown in Figs. l to 5. inclusive.

Fig. 8 is a detail in vertical section through the outer' feed cup and the supporting bracket therefor, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7 l The invention consists generally `in providing feed wheels which have serrated c0- operating surfaces for clamping and feed.

ing a fabric. Means'is provided for intermittently rotating one of the feed wheels and a iexible shaft is provided for connecting `said rotating feed wheel to the cop erating feed wheel, so that both feed wheels will be rotated in unison. This flexible shaft is so arranged relative to the supporting brackets for the feed wheels that the feed wheels may be moved toward and from each other to a certain extent to permit the insertion and withdrawal of the fabric being stitched.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, Fig. l shows a machine of the cupl feed type embodying the invention. T he machine consists of a main casing -1 in which is mounted a main driving shaft 2. The machine is provided with an -inner feed cup or wheel 3 and an outer feed cup or wheel l. Reciprocating directly above the feed cups is a needle 5 which is moved back and forth across the meeting edges of the feed cup 'by suitable mechanism operated from the main shaft 2. Cooperating with the needle 5 is a thread carrying looper 6. 'Ihis'thread carrying looper is of the usual type in a feed cup machine and has a movement into the needle loop, then upward and over the edge of the fabric and then downwardly to a position where the needle enters the looper thread loop. The loop is also given its movements from the main shaft Q. rl`he looper thread is led through a suitable tension 7 while the needle thread is led through a tension 8. 'Ihe needle tension may be released by a slide rod 9 which carries a plate 10 adapted to separate the tension disk. The rod 9 is mounted in suitable brackets and is moved endwise for releasing the tension by a lever ll which is pivoted to the lOl ' shift.A

frame of the machine. The above features form no part of the present invention.

The feed cup or wheel 3 is mounted on the upper end of a shaft 12, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, and this shaft is journaled in a bracket 13 which is secured to the main casing 1. At the lower end of the shaft 12 there is a flange disk 14 with which co erates an intermittently gripping arm lwlijich in turn is oseillated by a link 15 connected to a rock shaft 16 which rock shaft is oscillated by a link 17 cooperating with an eccentric on the main shaft 2. A suitable gripping arm is also provided for preventing retrograde movement of the feed cup. These parts are also of the usual construction in this type of machine. y

rlher outer feed cup 4 is journaled inta support 18. This support is provided with an inwardly projecting arm 19 which is clamped to a pivot shaft 19a which is journaled in a bracket 20 adj ustably attachedto the main casing 1 by screws 22. These screws 22 pass through slots 23 in the bracket and when the screws are loosened the bracket may be shifted so as to vary the position of the support for the outer cup. The main casing 1 is provided with a recess 24 which receives the bracket. This recess permits the bracket 2() to be adjusted as above noted but holds the same from up and down movement on its supporting screw. The pivotJ shaft of the support 18 extends beyondthe bracket 2.0 and an arm 25 is fixed thereto. This arm isA adapted to be connected to a suitable treadlexor knee' A flat spring 26 engages the under face of the arm 25. his spring is fulcrumed on an adjustable screw 27 and eX- tends underneath a projecting lug 28 carried by the main casing 1. The spring 26 throws the arm 25 upwardly and thisY swings the support18 about its pivot so as tov bring the feed cups 4 and 5 into contact, or to grip a fabric to be stitched therebetween.r

A stop 29 carried by the arm 25 engages the under face of the bracket 20 and llimits the movement of the feed cup 4 toward the feed cup 3. A stop .30 also carried by the arm 25 engages the upper face of the bracket 20 and limits the outward movement of the feed cup 4 away from the feed' cup 3.

Mounted inthe-support 18 isa shaft 31. This shaft 31 is connected to a gear wheel 32 at its lower end. The support 18 is cut away to form a recess for the gear 32, see Fig. 5. This gear 32 meshes with. a gear lwheel 33 which is journaled on the support and the gear wheel 33 in turn meshes with a gear wheel 34. vThe gear wheel 34 is provided with a hub. 35 which extends through the support, and a screw 36 holds the gear wheel in place. The feed 'cup or wheel 4 is clamped to the upper face of the gear wheel 34 by screws 37, see Fig. 4.

front of the machine. In other words,

sleeve coupling is attached to the upper end y of a shaft 43 which is mountedin a suitable bearing in the, mail` casing.` The shaft 40 is bowed in substantially U shape and lies in a vertical plane7 and by this bowing of the shaft I ain able totransmit the motion between the vertical shaft carrying the inner feed cup and the vertical shaft carrying the outer feed cup. The shaft 43 carries a gear wheel 44 which meshes with a gear wheel 45 journaled in the main casing, and the geari wheel 45- in turn meshes with a gear wheel 46 on the shaft 12 which carries the feedcup 5.4 As thefeed cup 5 is intermit4 tently rotated the gears 45 and 44 will rotate dtheshaft 43, which in turn will-rotate theN flexible shaft 40v and this will impart a similarvintermittent rotation to the shaft 31, which through the gears 32 and 33 will rotatethe outer feed cup. It will thus be apparent that the louter f' d cup isA rotated in unison with the feed cup.

The flexible shaft 40, as 'herein shown. is located above the Support for the outer feed cup and the bracket which carries the same. Therefore, this flexible shaft will not inter-4 fere in any way with the free passage of the material or fabric between the feed.,cups.

'Inasmuch as this shaft isflexible thesupport 18 may be readily swung about its pivot on the bracket 2O so as to separate the feed cups or so as to permit the feed cups to clamp the fabric which is tov be stitched.

The flexible shaft, therefore, not only provides meaps for rotating the outer feed cup in unison with the inner feed cup, but this means is so constructed as to permit the free movement of the outer feed cup toward and from the inner feed cup. A flexible brass casing 47 surrounds the flexible shaft 40. This casing freely rests at its ends on the couplings 38 and 42. A bracket arm 49is secured to the support for the tensions and this bracket arm extends upwardly and is formed with a. hook 50 'which engages about the casing. v

A suitable guide 48-incloses the' gear on the shaft'supporting the inner'feed cup. The gears for the outer feed cup are housed in the supporting bracket therefor.

As clearly shown in F igs. 2 and 3 of the drawings, the support 18 is so constructed that the vertical portionfthereof carrying the shaft 3l is at one side of the stitching point. as viewed by the operator when in the operatorsits -directly in vfront-of the ma` chi'11e5that is, inifront of the outer feed cup,

ron

and in order thatthere may be no obstruction to the ready view by the operator ofthe stitching elements, this support for the outer feed cup is set at one side of a vertical plane containing the path of the needle.A

The intermediate gear wheel 38 permits this odsetting of the support for the outer feed cup.

In Figs. G to 8 of the drawings, I have shown a slightly modified form of the invention. In these views the outer feed cup is shown as connected directly to the vertical shaft which drives the same and as a consequence the support for the vertical shaft is directly in front of the stitching point or in a vertical plane containing the path of the needle. The arm 19 lcarrying the support 18 is deflected laterally, so that the axis of the vertical shaft 31 lies in a vertical plane containing the path of the needle, and the feed cup 4e is clamped at the lower end of this vertical shaft 3l. In Fig. 8 of the drawings I have shown the shaft 31 as extending below the support 18, and the feedv cup 4 is clamped thereto by a screw 5l. v

The pivot shaft 19a betweenwthe arm 19 and the supporting bracket 2O lies in a vertical line .v1-zc, which is slightly forward of the meeting edges of the feed cups 8 and 4, and V.also lies below a line connecting the lower ends of the flexible shaft. This positioning of the pivot shaft 19a causes the outer feed cup when moved away from the inner feed cup to move downwardly and outwardly ,in approximately a straight line, and prevents the bending or breaking of the needle,

and the flexible shaft aids in separating the feed cups.

It will be noted that the couplings 38 and 4Q are in substantially the same horizontal plane, and this permits the flexible shaft to be bowed'in a true arc, so that said shaft will ride free at all points within the casing therefor.

It is obvious that minor changes in the' for rotating the feedwheels, and means whereby the feed wheels may be moved relative to each otherrto permit ,the insertion and withdrawal of thefabric between the feed wheels.y v

A sewing machine including feed wheels between which a fabric is clamped and fed to a stitching mechanism, a shaft of flexible material connecting said feed wheels, means.Y for rotating the feed wheels, means whereby the feed wheels may be moved relative to each other to permit the insertion and withdrawal of the fabric between the feed wheels, and a flexible casing for inclosing said flexible shaft.-

3. A sewing machine including in combination, a casing, an inner feed cup supported thereby, an outer feed cup coperating with said inner feedv cup, a support for said outer feed cup, means for moving the support to separate the feed cups, a single shaft of flexible `material for connecting the feed cups, andmeans for rotating the feed cups.

et. A sewing machine including in combination, a casing, an inner feed cup supported thereby, an outer feed cup cooperating with said inner feed cup, a support for said outer feed cup, means for moving the support to separate the feed cups, a single shaft of ilexible material for connecting the feed cups, means for rotating the feed cups, and a flexible casing for inclosing said shaft of flexible material.

5. A sewing machine including in combination a supporting casing, an inner feed cup mounted to rotatev about a vertical axis, means for intermittently rotating the same, an outer feed cup coperating with said inner feed cup, a support for said outer feed cup, a bracket connected to said casing and extending over said inner feed cup, an arm projecting from said support and pivotally connected to said bracket, means for swinging said arm so as to move the outer feed cup relative to the inner feed cup toward and away from the same, anda flexible shaft for connecting said inner feed cup to said outer feed cup, said flexible shaft being located above the feedcup.

6. A sewing machine including in combi- `nation a supporting casing, an inner feed cup mounted on said supporting` casing, means for intermittently rotating said inner feed cup, an outer feed cup cooperating with said inner feed cup, a needle reciprocating back and forth above said feed cups, al support for said outer feed cup, a vertical shaft mounted in said support, said vertical shaft being located at one side of a vertical plane containing the path of the needle, gears for connecting said vertical shaft to said outer feed cup, and a iexiblc shaft for driving said vertical shaft from the means for operating the inner feed cup.

7. A sewing machine including in combination a supporting casing, anv inner feed cup, a vertical shaftfor supporting said in nerl feed cup, means for intermittently rotating said vertical shaft, a second vertical shaft mountedI in said supporting casing, gears for connecting said second vertical shaft to said first vertical shaft,` an outer fedV cup coperating with said inner feed cup, means for supporting said outer feed cup whereby it may be moved'toward and l. il

from said ,inner feed cup, a vertical shaft connected to the outer feed cup, and a single U-shaped flexible shaft for connecting theA vertical shaft for the outer feed cup to said second vertical shaft mounted in said supporting casing.

8. A sewing machine'including in combination a -supporting casing, an inner feedk l shaft mounted in said supporting casing,

said flexible' shaft being disposed above the feed cups, a casing surrounding said flexible shaft, and means for steadying said casing.

9. A sewing machine including in combination a supporting casing, an inner feed cup, an outer feed cup, a support for said outer feed cup located above said feed cup, means for pivotall supporting the support for' the outer fee cup, the pivotal point thereof being located outside of 'a vertical plane tangential to the feed cup at the stitching point. i

10. A sewing machine including in combination a main supporting casing, an inner feed lcup mounted to rotate about a vertical axis, means for supporting said yinnerT feed cup, an outer feed cup .cooperating with said inner feed ycup, a support for said outer feed cup located `above said feed cup,

a bracket attached to said casing, means for pivotally connecting the support for the outer feed cup to sa1d bracket, said pivotal connection being disposed in front of a vertical plane tangential to `the feed cups at the stitching point, and means-for moving said support about its pivotal point, said means including a spring for normally pressing the outer feed cup toward the inner feed cup. 11. A sewing machine including iii combination a supporting casing, an inner feed cup mounted to rotate about a vertical axis, means for rotating the same, an outer feed cup cooperating with said inner feed cup, a support for said outer feed cup arranged above said cups, and a driving connection between said cups and arranged above said support.` p

l12. A sewing machine including in combination a supportingcasing, an inner feed cup mounted to rotate about a vertical axis means for rotating the same, an outer feed cup coperating with said inner feed cup,

and driving connections between said cups,

-said connections including a flexible shaft and separate setsl of gearing connecting the ends of the shaft withthe respective cups.

13. A sewingmachine including incombination a supporting casing, anV inner feed cup mounted to rotate about a vertical axis means for rotating the same, an outer feed cup cooperating with said' inner feed cup, a support for` said outer feed cup and a flexible shaft for imparting the movements of the innercup to the outer cup, said flexible shaft'being bowed upwardly from the an outer feed cup coperating with V said inner feed cup, a support for the outer cup offset from a center line through /thecasing, and means forimparting the rotary movements of the inner -cupto said outer cup.' l

16. A sewing machine including in combination a supporting casing, an'inner feed cup mounted to rotate about a verticalxiii/101)' means fora-'etating the same, an outer feed cup cooperating with said inner feed cup, a driving connection between' said feed cup including a flexible shaft, acasing for said shaft, the ends of said shaft being in substantially vthe same horizontal plane.

17. A sewing machine including in',com

Abination, a supporting casing, an inner feed cup, an outer feed cup, a support for-said outer feedcup, means for pivotallysupportving the support for the outer feed cup at a point above the cups, the pivotal point thereof being loc`ated outside of a vertical plane tangential to the feed cup at the stitching point, and driving connections between the inner feed cup and the outer feed cup.

18. A sewing machine including in combination, a -main supporting casing, an inner feed cup mounted to rotate about a vertical axis, means for supporting said inner feed cup, an outer feed cup coperating with said inner feed cup, a support for said outer feed cup located above said feed cups, a bracket attached to said casing, means for pivotally connecting the support for the outer feed cup to s ald bracket, said pivotal connection bcing`\ disposed in front of a vertical plane Ytangential to the feed cups at the stitching i pomt, means for moving said support about its pivotal point, said means includinga spring for normally pressing the outer feed cup toward the inner feed cup, and driving connections between the inner feed cup and the outer feed cup.

19. A sewing machine including in combination, a supporting easing, an inner feed cup mounted to rotate about a vertical axis, an outer feed cup eoperating with said inner feed cup, a support for said outer cup pivotallj,T supported on said casing, anddrivingconnections between said cups 1ncluding frontV and rear solid shafts, and a flexible connection between said solid shafts, the point of connection betweenthe'fiexible connection and the front shaft being disposed above the pivot of the outer cup.A

20. A sewing machine1 including in combination7 a supporting casing, an inner feed cupmounted to rotate about a' vertical axis, an outer feed cup coperating with said inner feed cup, a support for said outer cup pivotally supported on said casing, driving connections between said cups including d front and rear solid shafts, and a flexible shaft connection between said solid shafts, the pivot of the outer cup being disposed between the ends of said flexible connection and below the point. of connection between the flexiblvconnection and the front shaft.l

2l. A sewing` machine including in combination, 'a supporting casing7 an inner feed cup mounted to rotate about a vertical axis,

,an outer feed cup cooperating with said inner feed cup, a support for said -outer cup pivotally supported on said casing, driving connections between said cups including front andV rear solid shafts, and a flexible connection between said vertical shafts7 said iiexible shaft being bowed upwardly and .having its point of connection with said vertical shafts disposed in a horizontal plane' above the pivot of the outer cup.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses'. A

JAMES R. MOFFATT.

Witnesses: a ST. GEORGE TATE,

'ARNOLD C. EDWARDS. 

